In big news for San Antonio rock fans, My Chemical Romance's reunion tour is finally swinging into the AT&T Center.
But if catching an arena show isn't your thing, venues ranging from the Paper Tiger to Gruene Hall to the posh 1902 nightclub are offering a diverse array of alternatives.
How diverse? Well, they include anything from a DJ set by a member of the Jersey Shore cast to a legendary British psychobilly outfit to a former member of an SA indie outfit charting his way as a solo artist.
Tuesday, August 16
Wombo, Grocery Bag
Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, Wombo is a trio that blends skittery rhythms with artsy dissonance for a listening experience that may be off-putting to music fans expecting a standard listening experience. However, those who dive a little deeper will find an anchor thanks to the accessible melodies from bassist-vocalist Sydney Chadwick. The band's most recent release, Fairy Rust (awesome title there), dropped in late July, taking inspirations from fairy tales and fantasy as well as the Rust Belt surroundings of the band's hometown. $15, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary's St., papertigersatx.com. — Mike McMahan
Thursday, August 18
DJ Pauly D
While Pauly D isn't the best-known cast member from Jersey Shore — that would either be Snooki or the Situation — he was enough of a commodity to land his own spinoff, The Pauly D Project, and he seems like the least douchey cast member by far, if that's even relative. In the end, you gotta give props to the DJ Pauly D for turning his exposure on the show into a legit career on the wheels of steel. He signed with 50 Cent's label in 2011 and has opened for Britney Spears, signaling that his career is well outlasting his 15 minutes of reality-show fame. Call for reservations, 9 p.m., 1902, 1174 E. Commerce St., (210) 890-1265, 1902satx.com. — MM
Summer Salt
Self-described "trop pop" duo Summer Salt claims to provide the soundtrack for "chillaxin' by the pool," and it's hard to argue. The work of Texans Matthew Terry on guitar and vocals and Eugene Chung on drums would best be enjoyed while drifting on a flamingo float with a paper umbrella-topped rum drink. The pair's delightfully minimalist groove rock sounds even more so on its latest release, The Juniper Songbook, which features stripped down versions of songs from their catalog. $20-$25, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary's St., papertigersatx.com. — Danny Cervantes
Friday, August 19
Cory Morrow
Cory Morrow has been singing and songwriting his way through Texas for a quarter century, and the 50-year-old Houston native can look back in pride at having created a career doing it his way. Morrow has his hit the Top 10 on the Billboard Independent Artists chart and has drawn critical accolades for songwriting that touches on topics spanning opposite ends of the spectrum, from big-city strippers to the good Lord. $20, 8 p.m., Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, (877) 856-0806, gruenehall.com. — Enrique Bonilla
Friday, August 19
George Garza Jr.
First known for his contributions to San Antonio indie outfit Pop Pistol, Garza is now striking out on his own. He plans to release his first solo LP, Enjoy The Ride, in January but is offering an early taste of the material with this two-set performance. Garza has embraced a wide sound, and the songs from the forthcoming album will feature full orchestrations along with contributions from his Pop Pistol bandmates Jorge Gonzalez and Alex Scheel. It's being engineered by Nina Diaz, the solo artist who once fronted Girl in a Coma. Free, 7 p.m., Poetic Republic Coffee, 2330 S. Presa St., (210) 900-2772, poeticrepubliccoffee.com. — MM
Saturday, August 20
The Meteors, Los Tejanos Muertos, Hard Luck Rebels
Bust out the pomade and creepers, because English psychobilly legends The Meteors are traveling across the pond to hit San Antonio for the second time this year. Credited as pioneers of the whole damned genre, it's safe to say the band knows a thing or two about what they're doing when it comes to combining rockabilly, punk and horror themes. Local psychobilly acts Los Tejanos Muertos and Hard Luck Rebels fill out the bill. $18-$20, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary's St., papertigersatx.com. — Brianna Espinoza
Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, Common Kings, Fortunate Youth
Stoopidheads unite! These San Diego stalwarts are bringing their eclectic fusion of rock, reggae, funk and hip-hop to New Braunfels in what may be an ideal setting to feel their positive vibes. Originally signed by Sublime frontman Brad Nowell while its members were still in high school, Slightly Stoopid has released 13 albums since 1996, including four featuring its electric live performances. Their most recent, 2018's Everyday Life, Everyday People, features frequent collaborators G. Love & Special Sauce and Jurassic 5 emcee Chali 2na. $42-$72, 6 p.m., Whitewater Amphitheater, 11860 FM 306, New Braunfels, (830) 964-3800, whitewaterrocks.com. — DC
Sunday, August 21
My Chemical Romance, Turnstile, Dilly Dally
Buoyed by one of the most passionate fanbases out there, My Chemical Romance is finally bringing its celebrated reunion tour to SA. The band blew up big in the aughts thanks to a sound fusing pop-punk with the more grandiose elements of emo. Frontman Gerard Way has also found success via his comic book series The Umbrella Academy, which was adapted into the hugely popular Netflix show. Don't sleep on openers Turnstile, who have found that the sky's the limit for their accessible East Coast hardcore sound. $79.50-$229.50, 7:30 p.m., AT&T Center, 1 AT&T Center Parkway, (210) 444-5140, attcenter.com. — MM
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